The Making of a Champion
by rosemallo
Summary: Mairenn Hawke is fighting for her family, to give them the life they want and doing the best she can for others around her. The story of the Champion. Rated T (for now) for some violence and mild coarse language.
1. Prologue

_Author's Note: Let me start off by saying... this may have been very badly done. There are some paragraphs - especially toward the end - that are weak and kind of lame sounding, like I'm sort of just droning on about Hawke meeting Flemeth and arriving in Kirkwall with absolutely nothing behind it. To be truthful, that is almost what happened. As I was writing the prologue, I was also planning out the content of future chapters and the whole story just kind of played in my head, and I got really excited to write the upcoming chapters, which left me impatient about the prologue and I rushed through it. I apologize. But! It gets better after this, I promise you. _

_Oh, and this is just a little tidbit of information, I was going to keep Hawke's name Marian, but I've always thought it sounded really stupid... So I changed it to _Mairenn_, something similar, but is more appropriate in my opinion. _

* * *

Prologue

9:30 Dragon

A flash of lightning streaked across the nighttime sky, its thunder bellowing and echoing throughout the woodlands and the stone fortress within it. It pounded in Mairenn's chest as she stood atop the great bridge of Ostagar, watching the King's army gather below. She kept her eyes trained on the approaching creatures in the forest, waiting. As the enemy advanced, their unified guttural snarls and growls reached her ears. Her heart began to race, pounding in her chest like a hammer striking steel. Trembling hands removed the bow from her back and held it at her side. Panic was taking over, and she began to feel sick and dizzy, her legs shaking violently and bladder threatening to spill. Taking deep and steady breaths was all she could do to keep from having an accident or retching out of fear. Suddenly her armor began to feel constricting, like it was choking her. She looked around to the men and women surrounding her.

The man to her right glanced at her and whispered, "Maker help us all…"

Nodding solemnly, her eyes traveled back to wicked army of beasts. They banged their rusted weapons against the worn, mismatched pieces of metal that served as armor. A tall creature with a horned helmet pushed himself to the front of their lines and stood upon a rock. With a great roar he pointed his sword to the King's army, and from all around him the darkspawn charged. The battle had now begun.

A shout from below signaled the archers to ready their bows. Mairenn drew an arrow from her quiver and placed it in her bow, pulling the string taut. Her superior held up his hand, telling them to hold. Finally, when the demonic creatures were within range, he dropped his hand, and the archers let fly a volley arrows. She readied another arrow in her bow, waiting for the next command. Below she could see the war dogs charging at the beasts. She turned away, wishing not to see their deaths.

"For Ferelden!" The call resonated in her mind, giving her courage.

She and the other archers continued to string off arrows into the crowds of darkspawn, as the soldiers assaulted their lines. Enormous flaming projectiles were being launched at the fortress now, taking out a tower and shaking the stone beneath her feet. Her eyes widened when she saw one hurtling toward the bridge. Time seemed to slow, but for some reason she could not get her feet to move. It was as if she was glued to the spot, frozen in fear. When it collided with stone, she was thrown away from the place of impact, her head crashing against the ground. Her vision began to blur, and she frantically tried to raise herself, but to no avail. She let her body relax and fell into a state of unconsciousness.

_I am dead…_

"Mairenn…Mairenn, are you alright?" a faint voice called to her. There was a hand on her shoulder, tapping it roughly. "Mairenn!" The voice was louder now, a tone of panic in it.

She could not see anything, unable to tell if there was nothing but blackness surrounding her and the voice, or if she just had her eyes shut. The ground felt cold and wet beneath her face and there was a horrible throbbing pain in her skull. Groaning involuntarily, she felt herself roll, unsure if she was doing it or if someone else did.

"My head…" she groaned out.

"We need to go, Mairenn!" the voice yelled.

She tried opening her eyes, but nothing happened and the blackness remained. "I can't," she whimpered through pain.

"Please, Mairenn, I can't carry you!" the voice pleaded with her, almost crying.

Mairenn heard the desperation in the words, and used all the strength she could muster into opening her eyes. When they opened, she saw the world spin. There was fire everywhere, the dead bodies of the soldiers she served with. The stench of death hung over the area, the metallic smell of blood, vomit, and human excrement. The foul odor alone was enough to make her gag repeatedly and regurgitate. She tried to avert her eyes from the bloodied bodies of her fellow soldiers, looking for the source of the voice she had heard previously. Her eyes swiveled around sluggishly to find her brother Carver, crouching beside her, an expression of despair upon his face and tears in his eyes. He was covered in bruises and blood, most of which, she assumed, was not his. The whirling sensation in her head faded when she saw the terror in his eyes, but the throbbing pain remained. Scrambling to her hands and knees, she crawled to him and embraced him.

"We need to leave!" he reminded her.

She felt her head ache at the loudness of his voice, and put a hand to pained area on the back of her head. It was wet and sticky. When she pulled her hand away, she saw blood coating her fingertips. Unsteadily rising from the stone, she nodded in agreement with Carver, who rose as well. It was not easy for her to travel though with the wound on her head and leaned on Carver for support.

"What happened here?" Mairenn inquired.

"You mean you don't know?" he asked in surprise.

Shaking her head she replied, "In case you have already forgotten, I've been unconscious." She hissed at pounding and stinging sensation in her skull.

A pained and angry look now formed on Carver's features. "The whole army has been massacred!" Mairenn stumbled, holding her head, and Carver asked, "Will you be alright to travel?"

Mairenn nodded, regaining what posture she had. There was a moment of silence as Mairenn absorbed the information. "We need to get to Lothering, find Mother and Bethany. Then…" Carver glanced at her and she sighed. "Then we leave."

_Run. Just keep running._

Mairenn looked over her shoulder as she and her family sprinted away from their darkspawn pursuers just in time to see her mother collapse in exhaustion, gasping for air. Terror lanced through her mind as she saw the darkspawn speeding toward her. Immediately, she ran to her mother, ready to deflect any attack as her sister, Bethany, cast a fireball that whizzed right past her head. The ground before them caught fire, preventing the vile creatures from reaching them, but that didn't stop them from trying. The first to charge through met its demise at a powerful upwards slash of Mairenn's short sword, cutting through the creature's torso. As the second made its advance, Carver leapt from behind her, bringing his enormous long sword down upon it.

When the immediate danger was quashed, Bethany ran to their mother, who was now shaking her head, almost as if she was in disbelief of the situation. The furrowing of her brows and the frown she wore showed the sorrow and hopelessness she felt inside. Mairenn approached her with the same look with Carver at her side.

"I think that's all of them," he steadily stated.

"For the moment," grumbled Bethany.

"Maker save us, we've lost it all. Everything your father and I built…" were the mournful words their mother whispered.

With an empathetic look Mairenn said, "I know how much Lothering meant to you, but we need to move."

Her mother looked down at her feet. "Yes… You're right," she agreed.

Bethany's brow line wrinkled in frustration, as she said, "We should have run sooner! Why did we wait so long?" Her attention seemed to be fixed on Carver and Mairenn.

Annoyed at her implied accusations, Carver snapped, "Why are you looking at us? We've been running since Ostagar!"

"Listen, you two," Mairenn interrupted. "The darkspawn could be on us any minute," she continued, peeking over her shoulder at the creatures temporarily cut off by the fire.

"Please," their mother pleaded. "Listen to your sister," she said referring to Mairenn.

Carver looked to Mairenn. "Then let's go, lead on," he said, nodding his head to the direction they were heading.

As the fleeing family made their start up the red rocky hill before them, they were ambushed by yet another group of darkspawn. Down they came from atop the hill, weapons swinging wildly above their deformed heads. The siblings' mother retreated, taking cover behind a rock, watching the attack from safety as they engaged the despicable beasts. Bethany positioned herself away from their point of entry, attacking from a distance, as Mairenn and Carver confronted them head on, creating a bottleneck. Mairenn and Carver eliminated their assailants with ease, cutting through their rotten bodies like a hot knife through butter. Suddenly, a distressed shout came from Bethany, and the pair of sword-wielding siblings turned to find their sister being overcome by a darkspawn duo that came from behind. With swiftness, Mairenn forcefully tore her short sword from the body of a darkspawn it was lodged in and ran to her sister's aid as Carver ran to their mother to ensure her safety. Mairenn charged in furiously with fire in her eyes, slamming her body into the two creatures she held at bay with her staff.

She took the darkspawn down, tumbling around with them on the rock until their momentum ceased and she sat on top of one. Raising her sword, she thrust it into the pinned darkspawn's chest, staking him to the ground. She took hold of the second as he lunged for her and held him down on the ground just the same as the first. Retrieving the dagger strapped to her thigh, she plunged its blade into the beast's skull repeatedly. When, finally, the creature stopped struggling beneath her, she stood again, looking to the other creature still bucking beneath her sword. Storming to its side, she stared at it angrily for a moment before she lifted her foot and brought it down on its disfigured face. Again, and again, she pounded her foot into its skull, until Bethany frightenedly pulled her away. Mairenn gave a frustrated grunt at her sister's touch, whipping her arms from her a sharp breath, Mairenn looked the the rest of her family, who all gave her the same unnerved and concerned look, before continuing to make her way up the hill. The three of them exchanged disturbed looks with each other before running after her.

Bethany was the first to catch up to Mairenn. "Wait!" she breathed. "Where are we going?"

Carver was the second. "Away from the darkspawn - where else?" he said, looking to Bethany.

"And then where?" she asked, stepping to him. Shaking her head, she retorted, "We can't just wander _aimlessly_."

Mairenn halted her stride and turned back to her lingering family. All this stopping and standing made her nervous. The longer they remained, the more difficult getting away would be. She placed a gentle hand on her sister's arm. "Wherever we go, what's important is that we don't separate," she assured.

Their mother looked away from them, thinking to herself. When she turned back to them, she said, "We can go to Kirkwall."

"Kirkwall?" Mairenn responded in surprise, shaking her head slightly. "Are you sure that's wise," she questioned, doubt filling her voice.

"There's a _lot_ of templars in Kirkwall, Mother," Bethany warned, putting great emphasis on "a lot".

Their mother responded with, "I know, but we still have family there, and an estate." There was the slightest bit of hope in her words.

Bethany sighed at their mother's idea. "Then we need to get to Gwaren and take ship."

"If we survive that long…" Carver grumbled, walking away from the group. "I'll just be happy to get out of here."

Once again, the family continued onward, rounding a hill of stone to their left. As they made their way around it, they spotted a man and woman battling with a crowd of darkspawn. Mairenn began stepping forward, ready to help, when Bethany pulled on her arm, making her stop. She looked back at her sister, confused.

"The man is a templar," she whispered.

Mairenn screwed her brows up in anger and disappointment alike. "We cannot just leave them," she argued. "Templar, or not, they need our help."

She turned around in time to see the young templar run through from behind. Hunched over, he began stumbling away from the creature that wounded him. The red-haired woman with him, leapt at the advancing darkspawn, tackling him to the ground and powerfully pounded her fist into its jaw twice. Picking up her sword, she placed it on the exposed putrid, gray skin of its neck and pushed it into its disgusting flesh, beheading the beast. Hurriedly, she pushed herself from the ground and snatched up the templars shield, putting herself between the him and the darkspawn closing in on them.

Mairenn took the offensive now, rushing into the pack of monstrosities, forcing her siblings into attacking as well. Just as before, Bethany stayed back, launching attacks from afar, while Carver and she charged their group. One by one, the beasts fell, their black bodily fluids flowing from their wounds and pooling on the ground, creating a slippery obstacle for them all. Mairenn was a blur. The way she weaved around them, dodging and countering any attacks, it was almost as if it was a dance. She had grace and precision, unlike when she used a bow, she was sloppy and distracted.

As the last of the monsters dropped, the red-headed woman knelt to the man's side and said, "Stop squirming, Wesley, you'll make it worse."

But the injured man rose from his seated position, automatically assuming his templar duties. "Apostate," he addressed Bethany, "keep your distance."

"Well, the Maker has a sense of humor," Bethany quipped. With a sarcastic chuckle, she said, "Darkspawn, and now a templar? I thought they all abandoned Lothering."

"The 'spawn are clear in their intent," he stated, gesturing to the bodies of darkspawn that litter the ground around them. "But a mage is always unknown." He stepped toward Bethany, pointing at her. "The Order dictates -" He struggled to speak.

"Wesley," the red-head tried to dissuade him.

"That woman is an apostate," he argued. Once again, he stepped forward, this time with more strength. "The Order _dictates_ -"

Mairenn, moved in his path, an angry look of warning on her face. She was a small young woman, but could intimidate almost anyone with just a look. Wesley did not move though, and just stared bitterly at Bethany.

"Dear, they saved us. The Maker understands," the other woman reasoned.

After taking a moment to accept this, he backed down, stepping away. "Of course," was all he said.

"I am Aveline Vallen," she introduced, "this is my husband, Ser Wesley. We can hate each other when we're safe from the horde.

"Mairenn Hawke," she said with a nod. "This is my family: my mother, Leandra, and Bethany and Carver, my sister and brother." She gestured to each individual as she stated their name. "For a while, it looked like we were the only ones to escape the darkspawn," Mairenn expressed.

"We aren't free of them yet," Carver corrected. "Just like at Ostagar, this is just the start."

"You were there?" Aveline asked in surprise. Taking a moment to examine both Mairenn and Carver, she said, "Yes, I see it now. Third company, under Captain Varel," confirming it.

"Then you saw how the whole of the army was defeated," Carver assumed.

Aveline's face grew serious. "We fell to betrayal, not the darkspawn. This arm of the horde will not have the same advantage," she explained.

Mairenn and Carver exchanged confused looks with each other before Mairenn asked the question that was on both of their minds. "Betrayal? What do you mean?"

"The King's general… quit the field, left us to die at the hands of the darkspawn," Aveline affirmed, shaking her head in anger.

There was a silence as the Aveline, Carver, and Mairenn were reminded of the carnage and destruction. Understanding that this was no time to mourn, Mairenn proceeded with asking another question. "How bad is that wound?" she asked Wesley.

Shaking his head, he responded, "I think my sword-arm's a loss, even with healing."

"Then you will have mine, as always," Aveline avowed to Wesley. Turning her attention back to Mairenn, she said, "For now, we move with you. North is cut off. We barely escaped the main body of the horde."

Leandra covered her face with her hands, mumbling prayers and attempting to hold back tears.

"Then we're trapped!" Carver shouted. "The Wilds are to the south, that's no way out."

Mairenn responded without even looking at him. "We have no choice. The darkspawn have us fenced in." Stepping over the darkspawn corpses, she began walking away and firmly said, "We go south."

The rocky path beneath their feet began to slope downward more and more as they travelled. Not far ahead, they could see the path curve around a tall hill. Mairenn stuck out her arm, telling the group to halt their steps. Aveline looked at her and knew she was thinking the same thing. Mairenn pointed in the direction of the hill, a gesture to which Aveline nodded. Quietly, she climbed through the rocky and barren landscape until she reach the crown of the hill and laid down.

Turning to Wesley and her family, she mouthed the word, "Quiet." Then gestured for her mother and Aveline's husband to take cover behind a boulder.

She looked up to Aveline to see she was looking back and silently pointed Bethany up to the same position and for Aveline to come back down.

When the two switched, Aveline whispered to Mairenn, "Twenty." Looking away, Mairenn exhaled sharply in anger. The red-headed woman grabbed her arm, forcing her to look at her. "There is an Emissary," she informed, a tone of worry in her voice.

Mairenn thought hard about the situation at hand, wondering if there was anyway around it. She knew there was not. She sprinted up the hill to Bethany and laid down on the stone beside her. "There's an Emissary down there, along with twenty other darkspawn. I want you to isolate the Emissary. Fireballs, whatever you can think of, just focus on getting the others away from it. When you do that, we'll charge in below." She began to crawl away, sliding down the hill when she said, "And stay here." Bethany gave her a distraught look. Smiling, Mairenn said, "Don't worry. We can do this." Nodding, Bethany turned her attention back to the darkspawn below and Mairenn slid back down the hill.

Walking over to Aveline, she whispered, "I want you and Carver to form a choking point on the opposite slope. I'm going after the Emissary."

"Are you mad? You'll be slaughtered before you even get to it," Carver argued in a whisper, trying to persuade his sister out of her suicide mission.

Mairenn huffed and said, "You don't trust my judgment?" He didn't answer, but just gave her an angry look. Changing the subject back to orders, she said, "The stragglers we'll be able to pick off, no problem."

The three of them tip-toed to the base of the hill, Mairenn at the front. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she peered around at their enemy and looked up to Bethany, signaling her to attack. Bethany leapt up from her cover and cast a powerful fireball at the darkspawn guarding the Emissary. It was chaos as the creatures scattered, but the unscathed Emissary set its sights on her. Mairenn, Carver, and Aveline rushed out from their position, taking the darkspawn by surprise. They ran through the darkspawn, mowing them down. Mairenn dashed around the skirt of the battle, attempting to flank the distracted Emissary, while Aveline and Carver took out the groups of darkspawn on the opposite side of the depression they were in. Mairenn appeared behind the magical darkspawn without notice, and drove her short sword between its shoulders and out through its gullet. A massive of amount of thick black fluid poured from the monster's wound, making it slide effortlessly from her blade. Now that the Emissary was taken out, Bethany would be able to help Aveline and Carver. While the three of them took out the darkspawn coming down the slope, Mairenn took care of the darkspawn individuals that weren't killed by Bethany's fireballs.

When the last one fell, they all stood there for a moment, unsure if it was really over. Carver and Aveline glanced around at the creatures' lifeless bodies that lay around them, then back at Mairenn, and then Bethany on the hill. Each of them exchanged looks of astonishment before Mairenn grinned wildly and let out a loud roar of victory.

Mairenn did a goofy half-squat and raised her fist above her. "Yeah!" she shouted, drawing out the cheer.

Running to Carver and Aveline, she did a fist pump and waved Bethany over. The sound of cheering from Mairenn drew Leandra and Wesley out of their hiding. Leandra helped Wesley to the rest of their group and hugged each of her children, but she had a confused look, as did Wesley. They didn't quite understand what had happened because they weren't told what they had planned previously. They both gazed around the bowl-shaped depression in the land they stood in and saw all the dead creatures lying scattered about.

Even after their small victory, Carver looked less than pleased. "Why are you celebrating? We haven't won _anything._ The darkspawn are still a threat!" he yelled at Mairenn.

Mairenn started yelling back, annoyed at him. "We just decimated _twenty_ of those bastards and an Emissary, and you are complaining? This proves we can get out of here, even in our small number." She stepped up to him, almost nose to nose. "That, Brother, is a perfect reason to celebrate."

Carver's eye darted away from her's. With a huff, he said, "Maybe if you hadn't fainted at Ostagar, oh _Powerful One_, we wouldn't be in this mess. You could have taken out the whole army of darkspawn." He smirked, knowing his sarcastic comment would anger her.

Mairenn sneered, pushing Carver, almost knocking him over. "The bridge was hit, you dullard! I was nearly killed!" She pushed him again, and was about to completely topple him when her mother pulled her away.

"This is not the time, nor the place for this ridiculous fight, _children_," Leandra pointed out.

Brother and sister both looked down in embarrassment. Mairenn stuck out her hand in an apologetic gesture. Carver looked at it for a moment before grasping her forearm, an action she mirrored. They smiled at each other, exchanging silent apologies. With their little spat over, they continued their journey.

The group hiked up the rise of land before them, which opened up to a flat hummock. All around it were jagged rocks, pointed upward, with a steep hill on the left. There were many different paths that led down from the hummock, causing confusion amongst the group. As they stepped out, onto the brow, they felt the ground begin to shake. It was slight at first, but quickly grew more violent and powerful. They all looked around, unsure of the source of the shaking, when over the brae came an enormous charging behemoth. It rushed at them with great speed. Mairenn and Aveline jumped from its path, falling on the red stone of the earth. The monster halted its charge, giving a great guttural roar. The beast's sight locked on Leandra, and it began stomping its way over to her. Carver drew his sword and jumped in front to protect his mother.

"You soulless bastards!" He shouted with courage.

Hefting his enormous sword above him, he lashed out at the ogre. The blade connected with the thick metal vambrace on the great beast's forearm with a burst of sparks. It growled, but no damage was done. Carver froze in terror, now realizing how powerful his opponent actually was. All he could manage to do was stare up at the horrifying face of the monster as it reached down, snatching him up in a huge clawed hand. The beast stared at the tiny man in his grip for a split second before smashing him into the rock and tossing his broken, lifeless body aside like a child's toy. Leandra ran to where he lay, kneeling beside him as the monstrosity stalked over to the three young women. Her body shook violently with horror and grief as she tried to revive her fallen boy. Scooping up him up, she rocked his bloodied body letting out harrowing sobs and wails.

Mairenn's eyes darted back and forth between her brother's body and his murderer, fire burning in her eyes. The rage she felt toward the ogre welled up inside her, until it was the only thing inside, fogging her mind. Everything around her seemed to blur out of her field of vision, leaving only the ogre in her sight. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she could hear people shouting. Something about darkspawn, another wave of darkspawn. She couldn't hear, couldn't think, only focus on the beast that took away her brother's life. Her eyes remained locked on the pale and cloudy ones of the ogre's.

It was almost as if in slow motion when the huge hulking beast launched itself at Mairenn, shaking the ground in the process. She evaded the charge effortlessly, sidestepping out of the path with grace. As the ogre continued to rocket past her, she dug her blade into it's back and used it to pull herself up onto it. The monster bucked and twisted violently in an attempt to throw her off, but she held on. Drawing a second short sword, she plunged it's blade into the back of the ogre's neck. The beast howled out in pain, and grabbed wildly at it's backside. Mairenn plunged the blade into its skull, and continued that action until the once powerful ogre gave one last groan and crashed into the ground with an enormous, ground-shaking thud.

As the life inside the ogre faded, so too did animosity fade in Mairenn. Looking around, she saw Aveline and Bethany working in unison to fend off the hurlocks coming at them, but those seemed to be the last of them.

_For the moment_, Mairenn recalled Bethany's words.

The feeling of triumph she felt not long ago disappeared and was replaced with guilt, feeling Carver's death was her fault. Perhaps this was the punishment the Maker handed down to her for her impudence and ambition? She felt a sickness in her stomach, and found she couldn't move herself from where she stood. Mairenn just remained there with a rigid posture, staring at the depressing scene before her. Her mother was still holding onto Carver's body, still rocking him. Bethany ran to her, pulling her away from his lifeless body. Leandra kept shaking him, telling him to wake up. Everyone just stared, unknowing of what they could do.

Finally, Mairenn could get her legs to move, but her gait was shaky and faltering as her feet shuffled clumsily along the ground, catching on the rocks. When finally she reached the grieving group, she crouched down and held on to her mother and sister.

At last, somebody spoke. "I'm sorry, Mistress. You're son is gone." It was Aveline. She understood that Leandra did not want to believe he was truly dead.

"No!" Leandra yelled. "These things will not take him from me." Once again, she shook him, as if to wake him, but with less effort as she was beginning to give up.

Mairenn felt like she was choking and tears threatened to pour from her eyes, but she bit her lip and with a deep breath she solemnly said, "Carver gave himself to save us."

Her mother looked at her with anger. "I don't want a hero!" She involuntarily inhaled sharply and wailed out, "I want my son!" She continued through her sobs. "How could you let him charge off like that? Your little brother! My baby boy…" Her words died on her lips.

Mairenn closed her eyes to refrain from showing any expression, now knowing that her mother blamed her too for Carver's death.

"Mother, we can't stay here," Bethany reasoned. "Carver wouldn't want his sacrifice to be meaningless." The last few words she squeaked out as she began to cry as well.

Aveline helped Wesley to Leandra's side. "Allow me to commend your son's soul to the Maker, Mistress," he offered gently, to which she gave a curt nod in agreement. He placed his left arm across his chest and bowed his head in prayer. "Ashes we were, and ashes we become. Maker, give this young man a place at your side. Let us take comfort in the peace he has found in eternity."

Leandra smoothed back his hair and place a hand on his cheek, caressing his face. She whispered, "I will never forget you, Carver."

As if searching for an answer, Mairenn looked to the sky and said, "Our lives are more valuable to him than our prayers." Gazing around at everyone's somber faces, she said, "We should go."

She rose from her kneel and turned to leave, as did Aveline and Bethany, but their steps halted when the saw more darkspawn run up over the brae of the hummock.

"Shit," Aveline cursed, drawing her weapon and shield. "We're too late."

Once again, the exhausted trio went to work dispatching the attacking darkspawn. They came from all over. Bethany protected her mother and Wesley, positioning herself in front of them and helping when she could, while Aveline took their approach from the east and Mairenn took the north. Endlessly, they fought through the vile beasts, but there was no end to them. Over, and over again they came, without cessation. Mairenn and Aveline were pushed back all the way to Bethany, and the three of them became surrounded. The frantically looked around, searching for some way out, but there was none. The corpse-like creatures growled and hissed at them.

Just as they were prepared to take their last stand against the beasts, there was a great thunderous sound from behind. The darkspawn began to flee from whatever was behind them. All three turned to identify the source of the noise and found themselves in the terrifying presence of a dragon. The magnificent and horrifying creature bellowed out an ear-shattering shrieking roar and it swooped down from atop the enormous hill it perched upon, spewing out white-hot fire. It flew high into the clouds with great speed and doubled back down, touching down, causing the land to shake violently. It blew more fire at the scrambling darkspawn and swiped at them with its mighty tail.

When no more darkspawn remained, there was another great roar and a blinding flash of light around the dragon. When the light faded, the dragon was no longer there and a silver-haired woman stood in its place. She donned a strange and ornate set of armor and her hair was wrapped up tightly in the shape of horns. Slowly and sensuously, she sauntered over to the bewildered group of people. As the distance between them grew shorter, they could see she had the most peculiar eyes, a haunting bright yellow like that of a cat. She was indeed an eerie sight, and yet astonishing all the same.

The strange woman stopped not more than ten meters away from the group. "Well, well, what have we here?" she asked rhetorically. Mairenn and Bethany cautiously approached, but did not say anything. "It used to be we never got visitors to the Wilds, but now it seems they arrive in hordes!" she jested.

Neither Mairenn nor Bethany knew what to make of this situation, leaving Mairenn with nothing to say but an insufficient thanks. "I don't know what we would had you not arrived."

There was a slight change in the woman's face. Her smirk remained, but something other than arrogance was there, something wicked. "I do," she said, "You would have perished. You still may." The woman turned her back to them and began walking away. "If you wish to flee the darkspawn, you should know you are heading in the wrong direction," she said with a menacing tone.

"Wait! You can't just leave us here!" Bethany called out to her.

The woman paused her steps. "Can I not?" she asked, peering over her shoulder. Once again she strutted her way over, her yellow eyes focused on Mairenn. "I spotted a most curious sight: a mighty ogre, vanquished! Who could perform such a feat?" Their eyes locked for but a short moment. "But now my curiosity is sated, and you are safe… for the moment. Is that not enough?"

"We won't be able to get through the darkspawn on our own," Mairenn reasoned with her.

"They are everywhere, or soon will be. Where is it you plan to run to, hm?" A smirk played on the strange woman's lips.

"We _need_ to get to Kirkwall, in the Free Marches," Bethany stated firmly.

"Kirkwall?" the woman asked, raising her brows. "My, but, that _is_ quite the voyage you plan. Your king will not miss you, hm?"

"Lothering is gone…" Mairenn trailed off for a moment, lost in her grief for the loss of her home. "Ferelden may soon follow. We have to go."

"I see," the woman said tilting her head slightly. "Hurtled into the chaos, you fight, and the world will shape before you." Her words were cryptic and strange, but they stirred something inside Mairenn, and she wondered if anyone else felt it as well. The woman placed a hand on her chin, in thought, placing her back to the group once again. Mumbling to herself, she said, "Is it fate, or chance? I can never decide." After a moment of standing there in silence, she faced them once more. With a dangerous smile, she said to them, "It appears fortune smiles on us both today. I may be able to help you yet."

A grateful Mairenn said, "Anything you could do for us would be appreciated."

"Maybe we shouldn't trust her. I don't even know _what_ she is," Bethany said furrowing her brows.

"I know what she is," Aveline interjected. She looked away from tending to Wesley, who had collapsed and was now slumped up against the rock. "The Witch of the Wilds," she declared.

The strange woman shrugged, and said, "Some call me that, also Flemeth, Asha'bellanar, an old hag who talks too much," she chuckled at the last one. "Does it matter? I offer you this: I will get your group past the horde in exchange for a simple delivery to a place not far out of your way. Would you do this for a Witch of the Wilds?"

Mairenn spared a glance over her shoulder at Aveline and asked, "Should we trust her?"

"Wesley is injured. We'll never escape the darkspawn," she said, caressing Wesley's face as he writhed around in pain.

"If you need to," he struggled to speak. With a grunt, he said, "leave me behind."

Cupping his face, she said, "No! I said I would drag you out if I had to, and I meant it!" Even with her husband dying before her, she did not show any sort of emotion toward it. Perhaps she was trying to remain calm for him? Or, maybe it is because she has become desensitized to death after being with the King's army for so long.

Turning her attention away from Aveline and Wesley, and back to the Witch of the Wilds, Mairenn reluctantly said, "We don't have much choice…"

With a tilt of her head, the witch said, "_We_ never do. There is a clan of Dalish elves near the city of Kirkwall. Deliver this amulet to their Keeper, Marethari." She handed a beautiful, sparkling silverite amulet to Mairenn. Inlaid in the silverite was the most brilliant purple sapphire. She had never seen something so exquisite. "Do as she asks with it, and any debt between us is paid in full. Before I take you anywhere, however, there is another matter." The witch looked at the squirming Wesley.

Bothe Mairenn and the witch turned to Wesley, causing Aveline to rise from his side to protect him. "No," she asserted. "Leave him alone."

"What has been done to your man is in his blood already." Flemeth had a truly sincere penitent look when she addressed Aveline.

Aveline refused to believe her though. "You lie!" she accused.

But Wesley spoke up. "She's right, Aveline," he choked out. "I can feel the corruption inside me."

"There must be something we can do!" Mairenn pleaded with Flemeth.

"The only cure I know of is to become a Grey Warden," she responded.

Mairenn sighed and shook her head. "And they all died at Ostagar."

"Not all," she corrected. "But the last are now beyond your reach."

Aveline went back to Wesley, kneeling beside him. "Aveline," he whispered, "Listen to me-"

"You can't ask me this," she interrupted, "I won't."

"Please," Wesley begged. "The corruption is a slow death. I can't…" his words trailed off.

Just as Aveline and Wesley had been there for Carver's death, Mairenn felt compelled to be there for Aveline as well. She took a knee next to Wesley and Aveline. "He is your husband, Aveline. I cannot decide his fate." She didn't know what else to say.

Aveline looked away for a moment, and when she looked back to Mairenn, she saw the hurt emotion she didn't see before, but Aveline held it in. She gave Mairenn a slow nod, showing that she knows what she must do.

"Be strong, my love," Wesley whimpered.

Wesley removed a dagger from a holster on his hip and weakly handed it to Aveline. She did not take it from his hand though, and instead grasped his hand and dagger with both of her hands. They stared at each other for a moment before Wesley nodded. He was ready. Aveline forced the dagger through his armor, into his chest. Aveline's wall broke, and the tears came now. He let out one final gasp of air and his head laid back against the red stone of the earth, his cold, dead eyes staring up to the sky. She pushed herself up from Wesley as Flemeth approached her from behind.

"Without an end, there can be no peace… It gets no easier. Your struggles have only just begun."

Mairenn woke to the warmth of the morning sun's rays upon her cheeks. It came through the grate of the upper deck. It's glow was a happy blessing after having been packed away in a dark and filthy ship for two excruciatingly long weeks and sailing through the violent tempests that plagued the Waking Sea. Many of the ship's passengers were thrown into the sea by the powerful, tumultuous rocking of the ship as it sailed through impossibly huge waves created by the storms. At the beginning, there were dozens of fellow forlorn Fereldens, but now as they neared their destination, there was only the crew and a handful of passengers left. Death was all around them.

As Mairenn rubbed her eyes, ridding herself of grogginess, the sound of the crewmen shouting from above reached her ears. She gazed up through the grate above her and found a clear sky and seagulls flying and cawing above. The upper deck was off limits to the ship's passengers, but a curious Mairenn decided she would pop up for a quick view of their surroundings. Silently, she climbed the wooden stairs and poked her head out at the opening to the top deck. All the men were running about, pulling on ropes and tying them, among other things as well, but Mairenn paid no attention to such things. She had no interest in sailing. What caught her eyes was on the horizon. Enormous black cliffs and giant bronze statues lining them on either side.

_Is this Kirkwall?_ she mentally asked herself.

She climbed out of the opening and stepped out onto the deck, causing quite a stir among the men. Many of them stopped what they were doing just to tell her the top deck was not open to passengers and that she needed to go back below deck. Mairenn ignored their spouting rules at her and walked to the prow of the ship, peering out over the rail. She stood there watching the huge black cliffs ahead of them grow bigger and bigger, enjoying the salty wind and sea spray. For a long time, she remained there and soon enough the ship was sailing through the towering cliffs. They blocked much of the sun, giving the divide a daunting and ominous look. Along the faces of both cliffs were enormous bronze statues of elves, their faces covered by their hands and chains around their necks. It was quite an alarming sight, and Mairenn felt herself disappear into the shadows of the dark effigies, a strange and foreboding feeling arising within.

Before long, the ship was docking in front of an oppressive-looking building along with many others. All around it were metal portcullises and spikes protruding from its walls. Dozens of people were scattered about the area with tents pitched and canopies hung above them. It looked like a shanty town. Most seemed to be gathered around one entrance, shouting at the guards in front. When the ship finished docking, the few passengers left below came out and exited. Mairenn left the prow to find her mother, sister, and Aveline.

As the group approached the entrance of the stone building, Aveline observed the growing group of refugees swarming around it. "They're not letting anyone into the city."

"What?" Leandra asked incredulously, her eyes scanning the crowd and guards. "That can't be!"

"It's true. Look at them all," Aveline insisted, pointing at the large crowd.

Bethany sighed. "They're Fereldens, just like us. Fleeing for their lives."

Aveline shook her head, and grumbled, "And they would throw us all back to the wolves… Unbelievable."

"So long as we're all safe, that's more important," Mairenn replied assuringly.

Leandra nodded. "We need to find Gamlen. Our family has always been highly regarded in Kirkwall. He can do something, I'm sure of it!" There was a great deal of hope in her voice. It was encouraging. The outlook on things didn't seem so bleak with that comforting knowledge.

"Let's hope he received your letter," Bethany added with a tone of skepticism.

"The guards seem to be reporting to that man. Perhaps we should speak to him," Aveline suggested, making her way toward him.

Mairenn and Aveline forced themselves through the crowd, leaving Bethany and Leandra behind, lest someone realize Bethany is a mage. All around them were people shouting and crying, some even threw things at the guards. If the mass of people weren't dispersed soon, this could quickly turn into riot. When they reached the front, the guardsman in charge gave them a terrible sneer.

"Get back to the crowd, you lot. Trying to bully your way through won't get you into Kirkwall any faster," the guard barked at them.

"But you _do_ intend to let us in?" Aveline queried.

The man scoffed. "We have enough poor of our own in the Free Marches. We don't need you refugees piling up here like a middens heap!

"Why are we not being allowed into the city?" inquired Mairenn.

"If it were up to me, I'd bar the gates and let you find somewhere else to beg." He looked down his nose at the two of them, showing his superiority. "But it's not. Some of you lot might have legitimate business in the city. Knight-Commander Meredith wants us to sort you all out. Most of you are getting right back on your ships, though."

Mairenn's brows raised. "_That_ is a templar title. Why would a city guardsman answer to the templars?"

"We don't answer to her," he corrected. "But she _is_ the power in Kirkwall… Don't know what would happen if the Viscount went against something she wanted…" he wondered aloud, looking away. "But he's sure never taken that chance."

With a sigh, Mairenn suggested, "There must be someone in charge I can speak with."

"Yes, yes, always the same story." He waved a hand dismissively. "You want in, talk to Captain Ewald." He pointed a thumb behind him. "I'm just here to keep you _refuse_ from climbing the walls."

Mairenn nodded her head. She stood on her toes and waved her hand above the crowd, gesturing for her mother and sister to join she and Aveline. The four of them walked through the entrance and up a set stairs on the right. All sorts of supplies and bedrolls lined the long, stone walkways, small groups of people whispering worries. Finally, after one more set of stairs, they turned right and the small halls opened up into an enormous courtyard. Smaller versions of the bronze statues at the entrance of the cliffs hung on the great stone columns surrounding the courtyard. More giant statues were at the head of the enormous building, cruel depictions of of slaves being controlled and submitting. All along the walls were gruesome bronze carvings of more slaves being worked to the bone. What sort of place was this?

At the center of the building there was a huge set of stairs leading to the inside, and in front of that was another guard, presumably Captain Ewald, along with a group of men in armor not like that of the guard. The man at the front of the group was shouting and pointing his finger at the Captain. Mairenn, Bethany, and Aveline approached the Guard Captain just as he was finishing what he was saying to the angry men in front of him.

"There is nothing I can do! The city is full!" the Captain yelled back at them.

"One of the guards said you were letting in people who have business in the city," Mairenn said.

The man next to her agreed. "That's right," he exclaimed. "We've seen you let lots of people through."

"Citizens and merchants that make it worth our while." The Captain's attention turned to Mairenn. "I'll assume you don't have any more coin than these gentlemen?"

"But we have family here," Bethany chimed in. "Doesn't that mean anything?"

"I've heard claims like that a _thousand_ times already. Trust me. We'll find some ships to take you all back to Ferelden - eventually. Until then, you stay here," dictated the Captain.

"Our uncle is Gamlen Amell. He knows we're coming. Surely someone could find him," Mairenn reasoned.

"Gamlen?" The Captain sounded surprised. "I know that name…"

Bethany added, "He's a nobleman here in the city. Our family has an estate."

The Captain smirked slightly. "A nobleman? The only Gamlen I know is a weasel who couldn't rub two coppers together. He comes back, I'll bring you to him. But I don't have time to-"

"What?" The man next to Mairenn interrupted. "You're going to let them through?"

"I didn't say anything about-" Once again the Captain couldn't finish his sentence.

"We've been here for four days!" shouted another man. "They just got here!"

"That's it! We're carving our way out of here. Men!"

Mairenn rolled her eyes at the man's stupidity. What would fighting resolve here? Before he had a chance to draw his sword, Mairenn pulled her fist back and slugged him in the jaw, knocking him to the ground. He tried to get up again, but dizziness overtook him and he laid back down on the white stone, spitting out blood. The other men with him began shouting at her, and one even shoved her. The Guard Captain stepped in now though, putting himself between Mairenn and the other men.

"Leave now," he demanded cooly, "and I won't have you pathetic men jailed." The Captain watched as they scooped up their friend on the ground and scramble away. He shook his head and turned to Mairenn. "They'll likely be back, but thank you. I've been wanting to do that since they first showed up. Terrors, the lot of them." He sighed. "Look, I can't get you into the city. It's not my decision, but I'll find your uncle and bring him here."

Mairenn nodded and thanked him. All they could do now was wait.

For three days, they were there, surrounded by the disturbing statues, sleeping on the stone. Then finally, on the last day, a middle-aged, gray-haired man appeared from the shadows of the stony halls. His hair was dirty and slicked back, and his clothes were old and tattered, hardly the look of a noble.

"Leandra!" the man called. "Damn, girl, the years haven't been kind to you."

Leandra turned around to find the owner of the familiar voice. "Gamlen!" she sighed, wrapping her arms around her brother.

"Let me say up front, I wasn't expecting this. The blight, your husband… dead. I'd, ah, figured you'd pretty much be Ferelden for life." He struggled to find the right words.

"Oh, Gamlen," Leandra sighed again, her voice cracking and tears welling up in her tired eyes. "We came too late. My poor Carver didn't make it, Andraste guide him."

"Oh, Maker save me," he grumbled, massaging the bridge of his nose. "Leandra, don't drop this on me here. I don't even know if I can get you in."

Mairenn's head grew hot with frustration. "I am more concerned about Mother. Can you get her in at least? The rest of us can figure something else out." She glanced around at Aveline and Bethany.

"No!" her mother argued. "We stay together."

Gamlen hummed. "I was hoping to _grease some palms,_ but the Knight-Commander has been cracking down… We're going to need more grease."

"But… What about the estate?" Leandra asked confused. "Surely Father left something when he died."

"Right," Gamlen drawled. "Um, about the estate, it's, uh… gone," he finally stuttered out. "To settle a debt. I've been meaning to write you."

Leandra exhaled in disappointment. "Then there's no hope…"

"Uh, not quite," Gamlen alluded. "I know some people who might help… If you're not too delicate about the company you keep," he said looking to Mairenn.

She crossed her arms over her chest and huffed. "Well, we don't have any choice, do we?"

"I talked to my contacts," Gamlen continued. "I found some people who might be willing to pay your way into the city." Mairenn eyed him dangerously. "Uh, the catch is, you and your sister will have to work off the debt, uh, for a year…"

"A year!" Leandra gasped.

"It's the best I could do," he explained. "Trust me when I say a bunch of refugees won't get a better option anywhere else." Mairenn and Bethany stared at him fuming with anger, but Gamlen brushed it off. "I've managed to convince my contacts to come to the Gallows to meet you personally. Meeran heads up the mercenary company, the Red Iron. They're looking for recruits," he told, smiling nervously. "Athenril… I guess you might call her a smuggler. Either one of them can help you. You just have to convince them you're worth the trouble."

"I don't know about this, Gamlen…" Leandra said, appearing to have second thoughts.

"It's a lot of coin, Leandra. Don't go expecting our name to carry the kind of weight it used to," Gamlen countered.

"And what of me?" Aveline spoke up. "I will not allow others to incur debts on my behalf."

"Can't see that it makes a difference," Gamlen said with a snort. "You look like a lady who can pull her own weight."

Leandra looked to Aveline with a soft look. "Then you'll come with us."

"I-" Aveline started. "Thank you."

When Leandra and Gamlen walked away, Mairenn turned to Bethany. "I don't know how you feel about this, but I certainly do not want to murder people for money," she said angrily. Bethany shook her head with a glazed and gloomy look, but didn't say anything. Mairenn nodded and regarded her with an expression of empathy. "Then we will talk to this _Athenril_." She glanced to Aveline and exchanged short nods of agreement.

Together, the young women canvassed the Gallows, their eyes scanning the area closely for the smuggler. Bethany tugged on Mairenn's leathers and discreetly nodded her head in the direction of their mark. Mairenn gazed into the shadows Bethany gestured to and saw an elven woman leaning against one of the giant pillars, arms folded across her chest. There were two other men with her, also elves, that had long bows strapped to their backs. She could feel her heart begin to thump in her chest and suddenly felt very warm and wondered if Bethany and Aveline could sense her nervousness. Sucking in a sharp breath, Mairenn pushed herself forward. There was no time for hesitation and anxiety. Putting on a look of hardened confidence, she pushed her bister hair back as she approached the shady group.

"Are you Athenril?" Mairenn asked in a low and even tone, trying not to appear flustered.

A smirk grew on the blonde elf's face and she turn to Mairenn. Her eyes travelled up the length of her body, sizing her up. Looking down her nose at her, Athenril said, "You must be Gamlen's niece. Interesting. I don't know what he told you about us, but he certainly told us a great deal about you."

"He didn't say anything about me, did he?" Bethany asked from behind Mairenn.

Athenril shrugged. "Enough to pique our interest," she interrupted herself with a scoff, "provided you can justify your uncle's confidence."

Mairenn was eager to just get to the objective. "Just tell me what you need done," she said coolly.

The elf crossed her arms and tilted her head, giving her a smug look. She gestured for Mairenn to come closer, and when she was but inches away, she quietly told, "There's a merchant named Cavril. Friend of the templars, so they let him set up his little shop here in the Gallows. We supplied him in return for a piece of the take, but now he won't pay up." She looked away and nodded her head in the direction of a little stall. "We can't go near him without him screaming for the guard - but you can." Once again she gazed at Mairenn, a sly smile upon her thin lips. "Get our money from him and you're in."

Mairenn shared a silent glance with her before walking toward the stall. As she strutted over, she began to think through how she would get the money without causing a scene. She wasn't the most intimidating person, what with her short stature and being a young woman, but she took confidence in having Aveline and Bethany with her - especially Aveline. She was a tall and muscular woman with a terrifying stare. As they approached the cluttered stall, they saw the man, Cavril, having somewhat of an argument with a woman in worn clothes. The woman was begging him for more money for the things she sold to him, but he wouldn't give in. They quickly realized she was a refugee from Ferelden. The three of them hung back watching the scene play out before them and saw one of Cavril's guards step between him and the poor woman, and she cleared off. Mairenn approached the stall now, anger burning in her, and Cavril's attention turned to her.

"What can I do for you, serah?" he asked, raising his brows.

"I believe you owe your business partner something," Mairenn alluded.

"Oh," the man said in what sounded like disappointment. "I see. So, Athenril sent you to collect, did she? Too cowardly to do it herself."

Mairenn narrowed her eyes, but unsure of what to say next. Then, an idea popped into her head. She peered over her shoulder at Aveline. Gesturing for her to come forward, she said, "Care to step in here?"

Aveline furrowed her brows and glared at the man. "Only because this toad deserves it." She withdrew a knife from her hilt vehemently and shoved it toward the man's throat, stopping just short of piercing his flesh. "You have a choice, _pay_, or I beat it out of you - and your men," she threatened.

A look of pure fear flashed across Cavril's face. "Stay back!" he stammered out, frightened, his breath shallow and panicked. "Just, uh, take what's in the chest! Just take it all."

Aveline lowered her weapon, leaving the man to scrambled together his things and take off. When he had gone, Mairenn went to the chest he told of and took huge leather pouches of coins from inside. Each pouch contained two hundred silvers, totaling to two sovereigns all together. She carried the money back to Athenril, a swagger to her steps. While she may have threatened and stolen from someone, she was glad to know that her family would be getting into Kirkwall.

She plopped the two pouches of money into Athenril's hands, arrogance etching itself onto her features. "Here you go," she said smugly, "as requested."

The elf had a similar look upon her face. "Will you look at that," she said smoothly. "Tell your uncle we'll make the arrangements." Athenril handed the pouches to one of the others with her and stuck out an open hand, which Mairenn grasped. "Welcome aboard."


	2. Chapter One

Act One, Chapter One

9:31 Dragon

The sun was just beginning to peer over the mountains when Mairenn dragged herself through the door of her uncle's dirty little hovel, her feet shuffling loudly against the dusty wooden floors. She shambled through the main room, dropping pieces of heavy gear, as she made her way to the fireplace. Autumn was just beginning to settle in and it left a chill in her bones she couldn't seem to shake. Fatigued, she flopped down in an old wooden chair before the dwindling fire and laid her head back, lidding her dusky blue eyes. But before long, she was up once again, building up the fire. She stared into the flames as they began to catch onto the dry logs she threw in, in a state of musing. She ran her hands through her mousy brown hair as she relaxed.

Finally, after a year of living as a criminal, she was free of her debt. No longer will she have to stage burglaries or answer to that crime boss, Athenril. Mairenn smiled to herself at the thought. She was the best Athenril had, and knew that without her, the elf's time as a smuggler would be at an end. She cared not what would happen to her. The woman worked her to the point of extreme exhaustion. Mairenn hated Athenril for that, but at the same time was always grateful for bringing her family into the city. She sighed loudly and closed her eyes, letting herself drift into a happy sleep.

"My children have been in servitude - _servitude_ - for a year! They should be nobility!" Mairenn could hear her mother yelling. She was having another argument with Gamlen. Mairenn rubbed her eyes and stretched, realizing she had fallen asleep in the main room.

"If wishes were poppy, we'd all be dreaming," he grunted at her.

Mairenn stood up, stretching again, and turned to her mother and uncle that were arguing right behind her. Bethany also appeared now, coming out of the cramped bedroom they shared. She yawned, and said in a tired and sarcastic voice, "I want to thank the two of you for waking me up." Leandra and Gamlen both gave her an irritated look. With a grumble and a shake of her head, she continued. "This is the way things are, Mother. Gamlen can't change it now."

"Your mother was supposed to marry the Comte de Launcet, and instead ran off with some Ferelden apostate." He looked at Leandra. "You don't get to stay the favorite when you do that."

Mairenn gave him a dirty look, but didn't say anything and let her mother talk. "Where is Father's will?" she asked. "If I could just see for myself-"

"It's not here, all right!" Gamlen seemed to grow furious. "It was read. It went into the vault. No one needed to look at it again."

Bethany furrowed her brows and gave Gamlen a questioning look. "You didn't take your parents' will?" she asked.

"It was old news. You think I've been sitting here for twenty years waiting for Leandra to slink back?"

"Who bought the estate, Gamlen?" Leandra asked. "Perhaps I could speak to them. Was it the Reinhardts?"

Gamlen sneered. "No one you know. Get used to Lowtown, Sister. That's where we're going to stay." Gamlen walked away and the argument came to an end.

Mairenn turned to her mother and put a hand on her shoulder. "I am going out to look for work today. I will be back before nightfall."

"That is a long time… What else are you doing?" Leandra asked suspiciously.

Shaking her head, Mairenn innocently said, "Nothing."

"I see, then. Good luck to you." Leandra said, patting her cheek.

"Can I go with you?" Bethany asked. "Just to help, I mean… I know I can't exactly…" Her words trailed off.

Mairenn smiled at her, and said, "Of course." When Leandra sat down away from the sisters, Mairenn pulled Bethany into another room, quietly closing the door behind them. In a whisper, she told her sister, "I am… not exactly looking for work today." She walked to the small dresser across the room and pulled something shiny out of one of its drawers. "We still have another debt." Mairenn held out the object to Bethany. It was the amulet the Witch of the Wilds had given them one year ago.

Bethany gazed at the amulet's beautiful gemstone and screwed up her brows. "Mairenn, I don't know if-"

"Please, Bethany." Mairenn pleaded. "I can't do it without you."

"Alright. It just terrifies me… the amulet… the Witch. I can't help but think there is some sort of ulterior motive." Bethany picked the amulet from her sister's hand, her eyes never leaving it. "It is a strange thing. It almost feels as if it is-"

"Alive?" Mairenn finished for her. Bethany nodded with a grim look. "That's why I've kept it locked in that drawer." For a long time, the two of them stared at the magnificent piece of jewelry without fully knowing why. Finally, Mairenn broke the silence in the room. "Would you carry it?"

"Carry it?" Bethany repeated. "I don't really want to… But" The gemstone glinted in her eyes. "I will carry it," she said with a sigh.

"It is only until we reach the Dalish elves. Then we can be rid of this accursed amulet."

Mairenn looked up to the fiery red sky. It covered the mountainside in a crimson and black shadow, twisting the beautiful forest and slopes into a hellish scene. The thick pine forest was dark now and the sisters were having difficulty staying on the path they could no longer see. It twisted and turned in confusing ways, branching off into smaller paths. The darker it became, the more wicked their surroundings seemed. They stumbled and faltered with almost every step they took, tripping over stones and roots. Mairenn was screaming in her head, panicking silently in the darkness, but remained cool and stoic on the outside. Pretending to know what she was doing to keep Bethany calm, but she knew it wasn't working. She could hear her sister's heavy breathing and little whimpers when her foot caught on something. Mairenn reached to her sister and grasped her hand tightly, not letting go. It gave them both courage to continue through the blackened forest.

It made her feel like a small child again, to hold her little sister's hand when she was afraid. Her thoughts traveled back to a time when Bethany was but five years old and she was seven. An older boy was picking on little Bethany, calling her names and teasing her. Moira walked over and held her little sister's hand, yelling at the boy to leave her alone and taking her away. The boy didn't stop though, and yelled nasty things at Mairenn. Angry, she stomped over to the bully and punched him in the nose. Mairenn smiled at the thought, laughing in her head, but quickly became sad again. How she missed being a child. She never had to worry about anything; Mommy and Daddy would always be there to take care of everything. But that changed when her father died five years ago. Somebody had to step up and take care of the family, and Mairenn chose to take the responsibility. It has been that way ever since. Her mother always said it was like they never lost Malcolm, their father, that she was exactly like him in every way, from her grey-brown hair and soft blue eyes, to her determination and kindness. She was proud to know that.

Her reminiscing came to a skidding halt when the sound of pounding feet came from behind her. She felt her mind jump and her skin tingle, as anxiety and fear took her. Pulling Bethany along, she began running immediately, sparing a quick glance behind her to find two dark and spindly forms racing behind them. The thumping behind them grew louder and she could feel the shadows behind her, their breath on her neck. Suddenly, a sack was thrown over her head and the thing behind her pounced, knocking her to the ground. She could hear the same thing happen to Bethany a few feet ahead. Once again, she was yelling at herself in her head. Why hadn't she drawn her weapon? Her hands were now bound and she was up on her feet being tugged along.

By the time they finally stopped, twilight had long since passed and the moon and stars were now twinkling in the nighttime sky. Through the thinness of the cloth sack Mairenn could see the glow of fires and hear many whispers. She was pushed to her knees.

"We found these two wandering in the forest," an angry man said in an unfamiliar accent. The sack on her head was ripped off violently. "Shemlens!"

Mairenn blinked her eyes, adjusting to the firelight. Before her stood a very small elderly woman with intricate and swirling tattoos on her face and pointed ears. The woman was staring at her with huge inquisitive eyes, but she did not seem angry like the man next to her. He had the same big eyes and pointed ears and looked as if he were ready to murder them. The white-haired woman just simply looked at the both of them, possibly waiting for one of them to say something first.

Assuming so, Mairenn said, "You're elves." _Are you stupid? _she thought to herself. _What was that?_

"We are the Dalish, shemlen. Are you dense?" shouted the angry elf.

The elderly elf, though, put her hand out to him, preventing any further angry exchanges. Once again, her attention turned to Mairenn and Bethany, waiting.

Mairenn was searching for something to say to her, but couldn't remember why she was in the forest. Fear fogged her mind. "I - We have an amulet we were supposed to deliver to a Dalish clan's keeper," Mairenn blurted out, quickly recalling their purpose.

Still, the woman stared at them, until finally she said, "Release them from their binds." The angry elven man next to her began to protest, but she held up her hand again to silence him. "Humans think us barbaric savages. Why give them reason to have such inaccurate thoughts of our people? Show her some respect, Venhath." Venhath's face softened and he cut Mairenn and Bethany free of their binds. "I am Keeper Marethari. I knew you were coming, child. Rise," she said to Mairenn. "Let me look at you." Mairenn stood before the Keeper and let her examine her face. It was awkward for her, as she was not used to being looked over in such a way. "There is a light in your heart, human. Don't let it go out. You will need it. Tell me how this burden fell to you, child."

"A witch… Flemeth. She helped my family escape the Blight in exchange for the delivery of this amulet." Mairenn glanced over at the amulet now in her sister's hand. "It is… odd, to say the least. I feel a pull to it. Can you tell us what it is, Keeper?"

"It is a promise, child… made by one whose word still has weight, and therefore, it has terrible power. There are few things in this world stronger than a promise kept. Remember that." Keeper Marethari looked to the peak of Sundermount. "I honor you for coming to me, but I am afraid your part in this is not done yet. The amulet must be taken to an altar at the top of the mountain, and given a Dalish rite for the departed. Then, return the amulet to me," she explained. "Do this, and your debt will be repaid."

Mairenn shook her head, confused. "Are you to teach me the rite?"

"I will send my First with you. She will see to it that the ritual is done. And… when it is complete, I must ask that you take her with you when you go."

"Um, if that is what you wish…" she became more confused, furrowing her brows.

"She has chosen a new path. Please, guide her safely from here," she requested, her voice filled with sadness.

Mairenn nodded with a soft smile. She did not know how she could help her First, but she would do her best.

The Keeper returned her nod. "You will find Merrill waiting for you on the trail, just up the mountain. Dareth shiral," she said, bowing her head.

Neither she or Bethany knew what the Elvish words meant, but assumed it was a farewell. They both bowed their heads in the same fashion, and walked past the Keeper to the mountain trail behind the camp. The path was rocky and gray with the remnants of ruined steps buried in the gravel. Mairenn started up the steep trail. It rounded right, and over a small rise in the earth they spied a tiny humanoid silhouette. Mairenn and Bethany continued to approach the shadowy figure, assuming it was the Keeper's First. Suddenly, the figure jerked around to look at them, its eyes glowing in the night like a cat's.

"Oh!" said a tiny and girlish voice, thick with the same strange accent she heard in the Keeper. "You must be the one the Keeper told me about. Aneth ara," she greeted. She let out a sudden gasp. "I'm so sorry! I didn't ask your name. Unless… It's not rude to ask a human their name, is it?" Mairenn smiled at her and shook her head. "I'm Merrill, which you probably knew already. I'm rambling, I'm sorry," she sighed.

Giggling, Mairenn stuck out her hand to the young elven lady. "I am Mairenn, and this is my sister, Bethany." Merrill slowly shook her hand, unsure of what it meant. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise, and thank you." She paused for a brief moment, hesitant with her words. "I'm afraid I am not experienced with your kind… The Keeper said you came from Ferelden. I spent most of my life there. We only came north a year ago, when the Blight began. Have you been in the Free Marches long? Do you like it here?" She hurriedly spouted sentence after sentence and question after question.

"We have been here for about a year now. I can't say it is the best place, but… Well, it is a nice place to get a fresh start." Mairenn responded.

"Really? I hope you're right." Merrill seemed very anxious. "We should go. Your task is for Asha'bellanar. It's not wise to make her wait."

"Yes, let's go," Mairenn said gesturing to their path.

The rough and rocky path they travelled on was lined with small braziers, lighting their way to the top of Sundermount. As the three of them climbed, Mairenn's eyes focused on the small and lithe elven girl ahead of her as they passed through the glow of the firelight. Merrill had the soft face of a child, with big olive eyes filled with innocence. Inky black hair framed her heart-shaped face and was pulled back into a number of small tails. She was young, the same as Bethany at the age of eighteen. The way she moved, her expressions, everything about her was adorable, childlike. She had a spring in her step and looked as if there was always a smile playing upon her delicate and rosy lips.

For much of the time, the young elven girl chatted with Mairenn and Bethany about Kirkwall and leaving the Dalish. She asked many questions about the city and talked aimlessly and endlessly of just about everything that came to mind. She was a very curious person, indeed, and both sisters were happy to answer any queries she had. However, the conversation broke when the three came to the mouth of a cave. Merrill didn't seem bothered by having to travel through it, but Mairenn and Bethany were apprehensive. Mairenn peered into the cave's gaping black mouth, fearing that it will swallow her up at any moment. She was staring into the face of her greatest fear. Darkness. Mairenn was always afraid of the dark, though, without any real reason. Now she was having to deal with traveling in the dead of night through a dark and dank cave. What could be worse?

Merrill entered the black hole first, leaping into its gloom without so much as a care. Her courageous entry prodded the sisters into making their way into the cave as well. Almost immediately as they set foot inside, they disappeared behind the veil of blackness that shrouded the mouth of the grotto, leaving behind the comforting glow of the blazing braziers behind. There was a thudding in Mairenn's chest as she guided herself through the cavity of the mountain, her hands sliding along the cold and damp stone. Her breath became shallow as her anxiety began to take her. Just as she felt like she was going to breakdown, a faint, blue glimmer of light appeared not far ahead. Sucking in a deep breath, she pushed herself forward, almost jogging. She ducked through the small hole where the light was emitting from and gasped in awe and relief.

The small entrance of the cave opened up into a chamber with beautiful glowing crystals covering its ceiling, shining like little stars in the sky. Across the moist and slippery stone, grew a thick and soft layer of moss and fungi. Along the walls of the chamber were stalagmites and stalactites alike, some tall, others dwarfed, and some growing together and forming columns. A tall and steep escarpment was on the left of the small chamber, making the area they stood upon a natural terrace. If one were to stand upon the lip of the escarpment, they could gaze into the enormous underground spring that divided the enormous cavern. It was a fantastical sight to behold. As Mairenn and Bethany gawked at the wonder, Merrill cheerfully explained to them that the blue crystals along its topside only glow at night and make the cavern much more easy to navigate. Having traveled through this cavern many times before, Merrill instinctively assumed the role as their guide, and lead the sisters across the cave. It was much larger than Mairenn expected, and seemed to climb all the way to the top of Sundermount.

Finally, after such long of a time spent slipping and sliding through the leaky cave, they made it through to the top of the mountain. In between the remains of a ruined archway before them stood a shimmering transparent barrier, at which Mairenn groaned in exasperation.

"All this way and… nothing." Mairenn kicked a rock in frustration. "Just a damn barrier."

Merrill stood at the foot of the tall magical wall and examined it. "I can open the way forward," she said. "One moment."

The young elf retrieved a dagger from her belt and stood there for just a brief moment as Mairenn and Bethany looked onward. She stuck out her arm and brought the dagger down on it, slicing the flesh of her wrist open. A violent burst of blood exploded from the self-inflicted wound, forming a wave surrounded by little droplets that she controlled. The wave of crimson she focused on the barrier, causing it to glow a blinding and vibrant red, until, at last, the barrier dissolved. Mairenn and Bethany shared the same look of shock and disgust when they saw the heinous act she committed before them. When Merrill turned to the sisters she was faced with their dirty looks.

She knew what they were thinking, and quickly stammered out, "Yes, it was blood magic, but I know what I'm doing. The spirit helped us, didn't it?"

"Oh, yes! The barrier is gone, certainly!" Mairenn exclaimed sarcastically. "But a demon has been summoned in its stead."

Merrill sighed, and looked down. "Be careful up ahead. Restless things prowl the heights." She walked through where the barrier once was and gestured to the archaic burial ground that lay on the other side. "In the days of Arlathan, the elders came here to sleep… Uthenera, the "endless dream" they called it… But they don't sleep peacefully anymore." Her words were filled with terrifying obscurity.

Mairenn stared out at the graves. The whole place radiated a chilling and dreadful atmosphere. A nightmarish, foggy mist hung low to the ground around the burial mounds. Nothing grew around the graves, not grass, moss, or even fungi. It was as if the site itself was repelling life away. The sisters quietly and cautiously tip-toed through the eerie stone burial mounds, holding their breath as they went. Merrill was already ahead, waiting on the other side. When Mairenn looked ahead she could see a grey stone altar with a small, blue-flamed brazier flickering on top. The altar stood out on a grassy and moss coated shelf with what looked like what used to be walls surrounding it. Like everything else on the mountain, the area was only remains of something that once was.

As Mairenn and her sister approached the beginning of the shelf, there was a shrieking gust of powerful wind and suddenly the ground shook beneath her. Then there was silence. The little hairs on her neck stood on end and a chill travelled down her body, leaving goose flesh in its wake. There was flashing warning going off in her mind and her heart thundered in her chest, alerting her to the on-coming panic attack, but she silently suffered through it. Inhaling sharply, she stepped over the threshold of the shelf. She let out a huge sigh, chuckling in slight at its end and relaxed.

Once more, she took a step, and when she did, a circle of earth sank into a black hole that opened at her feet. A robed, corpse-like creature levitated from the depth of the hole, its hands gleaming with a visible violet aura of magic. Mairenn screamed in terror and fell back on her behind, staring at the horrifying creature that faced her. Its rotted face was covered with a pointed hood, leaving only its lipless mouth showing, browned and blackened teeth seeming to smile at her. It had long, grey fingers and claws like a tiger's at the tips, which the creature swirled around, creating a dangerously powerful spell. She could hear Bethany screaming behind her as more holes appeared in the earth with terrible corpses and skeletons crawling out of them, growling in hunger. The dead things bore weapons, bows and swords, and began attacking the group of three.

Bethany released a searing fireball in the direction of the four skeletons running toward her, sending them flying through the air when it exploded. But still, they rose and continued their assault. Merrill went to aid Bethany in her fight against the seemingly invincible creatures, leaving Mairenn frozen on the ground in front of the Arcane Horror. The Horror was ready to cast his magic, and all Mairenn could manage to do was sit there gaping at the creature.

_What are you doing?_

The ghastly creature raised a spindly hand above its head, a shocking golden ball of energy appearing before it.

_Move_.

The ball of energy grew bigger and bigger, electrical currents running over its spherical surface.

_Move!_

Mairenn rolled to the right, ducking behind a large rock jutting out from the earth just as the electrifying orb exploded where she had just been. Her eyes were shut tight and fingers dug into the gravel she sat upon as she whimpered, trying to shield herself from the detritus that turned into lethal projectiles from the explosion. She glanced to her side and could see Bethany knocked to the ground, the body of a corpse atop her, snapping at her face. Her mind flashed back to her last memory of her brother, taken by an ogre. She wouldn't let her sister die while she idly stood by, frozen in fear; not like Carver. Something stirred deep inside her, adrenaline mixed with guilt and grief she'd held inside for a year. It was nauseating and dizzying.

She leapt from her cover, weapons drawn, and lunged at the floating monster casting another of its electrifying explosions at her sister. One blade pierced the abdomen of the monster and it gave an ear-shattering shriek, interrupting its spellcasting. A second blade found the center of its chest, and the creature threw its rotten arms above its head. A thick brown fluid began to drain from the lacerations in its torso, clumps of dirt and little pebbles coming out with it, staining Mairenn's blades that still remained inside its body. Mairenn spun about, ripping her swords from the Horror's gray flesh and ran to her sister.

Bethany managed to place her fingers to her temple, to create an invisible blast of energy emanating from her skull that catapulted the corpse away from her. Its moldy bones and flesh met the stone of a grave with a great thud and cracking noises. Mairenn reached out to her sister, pulling her from the ground with haste as yet another skeleton rushed forward to attack them. It never got the chance. Mairenn lashed out with her short sword, beheading the decayed creature as it reached them. Looking to Merrill, they saw she'd just finished off the last couple of corpses, crushing them underneath huge boulders she casted from her staff.

Finally, the small battle was over and that nauseous feeling Mairenn felt before proved too much to handle. She collapsed to her hands and knees, vomiting onto the gravel, her body sweating from its exertion. When she stood, she was dizzy and cold in the autumn wind of the mountain. Merrill had a concerned look about her and tried to help by escorting Mairenn to the altar, but when she tried to take her arm, Mairenn gave her a searing look of anger and shrugged away from her touch. Bethany took her instead, even whilst insisting she was perfectly fine to continue on her own. She didn't need her baby sister caring for her. Mairenn was oldest and thought it should be the other way around, but put it behind her, accepting help as it came to her.

The three young women once again approached the altar, Merrill placing the magnificent amulet on top. She waved her arms around slightly reciting a strange and foreign chant in the Elven language. It was beautiful how she spoke, sweet and soothing, Mairenn found. As Merrill completed the the Dalish rite, there was a familiar flash of blinding white light. Mairenn and Bethany shielded their eyes with their forearms, until finally the light faded away to reveal the awesome and fearful witch they'd met so long ago.

The witch closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. "Ah, and here we are," she sighed, opening her eyes again. Merrill bowed low, greeting her in the elven language, regarding her as _Asha' bellanar._ "One of the people… I see," she muttered, her eyes glazing over Merrill's bowed form. "So young and bright. Do you know who I am beyond that title?"

"I know only a little," Merrill answered, still bowed.

"Then stand. The People bend their knee too quickly," Flemeth said softly as Merrill recovered her posture. Her cat-like eyes found Mairenn and she smirked. "So refreshing to see someone who keeps their end of a bargain. I half-expected my amulet to end up in a merchant's pocket," she jeered.

Mairenn sucked in a breath through her nose. "I agreed to carrying the amulet, though you could have told me you were inside it."

"Just a piece," Flemeth whispered, "a small piece, but it was all I needed. I bit of _security_ should the inevitable occur, and if I know my Morrigan, it already has."

"I don't understand," Mairenn said shaking her head and furrowing her brows in confusion. "Are you some kind of vision?"

The witch roared with laughter, and Mairenn felt herself shrink, her face red and warm with embarrassment. "Must I be in only one place? Bodies are such limiting things," Flemeth teased. Crossing her arms across her chest, she said, "I am but a fragment cast adrift from the whole. A bit of flotsam to cling to in the storm."

"A fragment?" Mairenn questioned.

"You do not need to understand, child. Know only that you may have saved my life, just as I once saved yours. An even trade, I think." Flemeth gave her a brief smile.

"And what now?" Mairenn asked another question.

"Destiny awaits us both, dear girl. We have much to do… Before I go, a word of advice?" The witch turned away, staring out over the edge of the mountain into the starry night. "We stand upon the precipice of change. The world fears the inevitable plummet into the abyss… Watch for that moment… and when it comes, do not hesitate to leap. It is only when you fall that you learn whether you can fly."

She shook her head again. "What should I do?"

Flemeth smirked. "Do as I do. Become a dragon!" Her head reared back in another bout of laughter. "You could never be a dragon." She turned to Merrill. "As for you, child, step carefully. No path is darker than when your eyes are shut."

"Ma serannas, Asha' bellanar," Merrill replied with a bow of her head.

"Now the time has come for me to leave. You have my thanks… and my sympathy."

The group of three watched as the the Witch of the Wilds strutted to the ledge of the shelf. She peered over her shoulder one last time at them, a smirk playing upon her lips, and gracefully dove from the ledge. Another flash of blinding light illuminated the mountainside and the roar of a dragon resounded from below before it soared upward and out of sight. They remained there for some time, silence hanging over them.

Mairenn stared into the turquoise flame of the brazier upon the altar, meditating on Flemeth's words. She repeated them over and over again in her mind, inspiration igniting in her heart. It was at that moment that she felt young and fearful Mairenn disappear behind a coat of armor, and a new woman, confident and courageous fill her place. She let go of Bethany and stood on her own, tall and ready.

It was noon by the time the salty stench of Kirkwall air filled Mairenn's and Bethany's lungs again. Its potency increased by the high walls of enclosure of the alienage, almost making Mairenn gag from lack of fresh air. They'd brought Merrill back to the city, just as she and the Keeper wished and helped her find a home.

"Elgar' nan," Merrill said gloomily, in that sweet accent of hers. "Is this… Is this really where the elves live?" Mairenn kept her distance from the blood mage and simply nodded. Merrill looked down in disappointment. "I didn't think it be so… so…" She quickly changed the subject. "I've never seen so many people in one place before. It seems so lonely."

"You already know Bethany and I. You'll make other friends soon enough," Mairenn assured her, though it was a fake security.

"I…" Merrill started. "Thank you. Thank you for everything, for all your help." She stepped close to Mairenn, eye-to-eye as they were the same height, making her crane her neck backward slightly. "Will you come visit me? Not now, of course. But maybe later? I could use a friend."

Mairenn was in thought for a moment as she stared at Merrill's charming features, her rosy cheeks and soft lips, smooth ivory skin... She found the young elven lady alluring and sweet. While she would love to spend time with this beautiful creature, she recalled her use of blood magic. Aside from that, it wouldn't be wise to tempt herself while she needed to focus on giving her family everything they need. She frowned slightly at Merrill. "I… I'm not sure that's wise," she finally mumbled, contradicting her friendship.

It looked as if Merrill heart was broken when Mairenn said that. She backed away and said, "Oh… Well, thank you, anyway. Good… Goodbye, I guess."

Mairenn pursed her lips and bowed her head, and parted without a word. When they were out of sight, Bethany pinched the sensitive underside of Mairenn's bicep, making her yelp in pain. Turning to her sister to question her action she was regarded with an angry and disappointed look from her. Bethany was young and naive, though. She wasn't happy that Mairenn turned Merrill away on her own, but it was for the best, and didn't feel like explaining it to her because she wouldn't understand. Mairenn simply sighed and watched her feet as they guided her to their shanty home.

Suddenly, the thought of just how long they'd been gone had hit her. She stopped dead in her tracks, knowing their mother would be fuming with anger. Groaning with frustration at her own stupidity, she grabbed Bethany by the wrist. "Come on, we have to hurry."

When they opened the door to the dusty little shack, they weren't greeted with hellos and hugs, but with Leandra screaming at them with a furious shrill voice, spouting nonsensical threats and what-ifs at Mairenn. Gamlen smacked his forehead with his hand and dragged it down his face in response to their mother's reaction, like he had already experienced this and was hearing it for a second time. Mairenn rolled her eyes, folding her arms across her chest and leaning against the frame of the door.

"I ran all the way to the guard's barracks and told Aveline you were missing!" Leandra shouted swinging her arms wildly above her head in outrage. "She went out looking for you two! Now I look like a foolish old woman. Where have you been?"

Giving a loud groaning-grunt sound, Mairenn explained everything to her, Bethany vouching for her as she went on. She still wasn't happy, though, upset that Mairenn would take Bethany do something so dangerous. Leandra screwed up her face in rage and raised both hands before Mairenn's face, practically growling at her. She shook her hands, mocking a strangling motion, almost saying something, but stomped away. Sighing strongly, Mairenn leaned her head back against the frame, bumping it slightly.

Looking over to Bethany, Mairenn said, "Go calm her down. I need to speak to Aveline… Tell her to call off the search."

Bethany nodded and Mairenn left, slamming the door behind her.

_Hightown...Just the place for pompous fools to strut about like peacocks, showing off their latest "feathers," _Mairenn bitterly mused._ I hate birds…_

The market here was much different than the bazaar of Lowtown. While it was crowded here, the bazaar was flooded with far more people. And the noise! The Hightown market was practically silent when compared to the bazaar. They did have one common trait, though; stink.

Mairenn weaved her way through the flocked, high-end market, trying her hardest not to brush or bump against the Orlesian-smelling nobles. When one would near, the thick stench of cheese and perfume would suffocate her, and eventually, she found herself practically running from the area for air. She darted up a small set of stairs that led away from the city's bustling business, rounding the corner to spy the Viscount's Keep dead ahead. As she started forward, something through the alley on the left caught her attention. There was a whole lot of dwarves scrambling about the closed in area, and in the middle of them all was the grumpiest person she'd ever seen. Then she noticed a parchment leaflet attached to the white stone wall just outside. It read:

_The adventure of a lifetime!_

_Journey to the old dwarven thaigs_

_in search of riches beyond your_

_wildest imagination._

_Speak to the dwarf, Bartrand_

Mairenn thought carefully for a moment, trying to recall what her father taught her about the thaigs. She could only remember that they were located in the Deep Roads, and the Deep Roads are filled with… darkspawn. Mairenn's pale blue eyes narrowed at the thought.

_A chance to rid the world of more of those bastards and make money? Sounds like a job for me._

She looked to the group of dwarves again, attempting to distinguish the leader among them. Her eyes floated back to the grumpy one barking orders at everyone. It would be him. Mairenn strode over to the angry dwarf and greeted him politely, then said, "I saw your leaflet and I want to join you on your expedition. I -"

"No," he interrupted her.

"Excuse me?"

"No!" he yelled this time. "Andraste's tits, human! You know how many people want to hire on to this?"

Mairenn stood there indignantly, not wanting to let this opportunity slip by and tried reasoning with him. "You're going to the Deep Roads, you'll need all the -"

"No!" he interrupted for a second time. "You're too late! Already done! This is the sort of adventure that can make a man for life! I'm not about to take any chances hiring random humans."

"I've fought and _killed_ darkspawn!" Mairenn roared back at him. "How many of your hired men can say the same?"

"Get in line. Half of Kirkwall wants to be my best friend right now. You're looking for a quick way out of the slums, right? You and every other Ferelden in this dump. Find another meal ticket," the dwarf said, glaring at her, and then walking away.

Mairenn groaned loudly and angrily and whipped around, walking back out. She muttered frustrated curses at the aggravating dwarf under her breath, looking at her feet as she stomped. So lost in her frustrated thoughts, she didn't see the person walking in front of her and ran right into him. Without looking, she mumbled apologies to him, but he didn't seem to care and briskly walked away. She stopped, noticing something missing from her hip. Her pouch of coin was gone! She turned to find the thief who ran into her and yelled after him, but he started running, leaving Mairenn standing there in shock and heartache. That was the last of her family's money. Suddenly, she could hear startled gasps and yelps from the direction he sprinted in. Jogging over, she saw the thief pinned to the stone of a wall with a bolt and a handsome dwarf standing before him. She watched in surprise as the dwarf knocked him in the jaw with an enormous fist and take back the pouch.

The dwarf strutted over to her, bouncing the pouch of coin in his hand. He was smooth looking with his slight stubble and honey-colored hair neatly tied back. His ears were pierced with numerous gold hoops. Mairenn blushed when she took notice of his open shirt, revealing his muscled chest with an attractive amount of chest hair. He smirked and tossed the leather pouch to her, twirling a crossbow bolt.

"How do you do? Varric Tethras, at your service!" he properly introduced himself.

Mairenn could feel her cheeks burn in response to this suave dwarf's velvety voice, and tried to hold back a huge grin. She bowed her head, "Mairenn Hawke. Thank you," she breathed, "Thank you so much!"

His smirk grew into a smile. "I apologize for Bartrand. He wouldn't know an opportunity if it hit him square in the jaw. What my brother doesn't realize is that we need someone like you. He would never admit it, either - he's too proud. I, however, am quite practical."

She raised a brow at him. "What makes you so certain that I can help? You know nothing about me."

"Oh, on the contrary," he said in delightful disagreement. "You've made quite a name for yourself over the last year. The Coterie has been squeezing smugglers out left and right, and the only group to survive owes it all to you. The name 'Hawke' is on many lips these days. Not bad for a Ferelden fresh off the boat."

Mairenn shook her head slightly, thinking. "There must be some way to persuade your brother to hire me," she said softly.

"We don't need another hireling - we need a partner. The truth is, Bartrand's been tearing his beard out trying to fund this on his own, but he can't do it." He rubbed his chin, smiling. "Invest in the expedition. Fifty sovereigns, and he can't refuse. Not with me there to vouch for you."

"Why are you doing this for me?" Mairenn asked, slightly suspicious.

Varric chuckled lightly. "I'd rather take a chance on someone with your reputation than head into the Deep Roads unprepared. And besides," he said, shrugging, "we'd be your partners. I'm willing to give a little trust if you are."

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Mairenn said, "If I had the money, I wouldn't need this job."

"You need to think big!" he said opening up his arms. "There's only a brief window after a Blight when the Deep Roads won't be crawling with darkspawn. The treasure you find down there could set your family up for life. So, what do you say?"

Mairenn hummed in thought, biting her bottom lip. "Well, I suppose you don't get anywhere in life without taking risks… Alright, I'll get the coin together. I'll need some time though."

"Perfect! Kirkwall's crawling with work. You set aside some coin from every job, and you'll have the money in no time." They shook hands, a deal having been struck. "We should talk privately when you get the chance. The Hanged Man is where I'll be."

Varric turned happily on his heel and waved her goodbye for now. Mairenn let her huge grin finally show on her face, watching the attractive dwarf swagger away. Finally! Something was going right. She happily carried herself to the Viscount's Keep, excited to speak to Aveline. It had been a long time since they'd last spoken.

The Keep was… depressing. It was made of the same white stone as the rest of the city and as cold as a storage cellar in winter. The only real light that managed to glimmer into the keep came from one single window high above the floor. The rest of the Keep was lit up with braziers and torches. Tapestries and banners were all the same dark, gray-blue with gold embroidery. Angry nobles lined its foyer and corridors, all there with some sort of complaint to take up with the Viscount - who Mairenn assumed lazy and incompetent, judging by the backed-up, sloppy que of citizens. It seemed there was always something wrong with everyone and everything in this city and there was no one to do anything about it.

Mairenn hopped up the enormous set of stairs in the middle of the great hall, cursing them the whole way. _Blast this damn city and its love of stairs._ Turning right to the double doors that lead to the guard's barracks, she travelled down yet another staircase, finding her friend just off to the side of their bottom. She was examining a strange form of a schedule board. It looked like a stalactite and stalagmite made of wood, just barely touching together and was covered in stained parchments detailing all the guards rounds. Mairenn shook her head at the strange object. It was silly. There were much easier ways to give the guards their schedules.

Walking up behind Aveline, Mairenn stretched out her arms in friendly gesture and smiled. "Aveline!" she said happily.

She didn't turn though, and simply regarded her with, "Hello, Mairenn," and continued examining the parchments.

Mairenn dropped her arms in disappointment at her friend's coldness. She pursed her lips and raised a brow, grumbling, "Been a while, hasn't it?"

"What?" Aveline gasped, turning now, snapped out of her concentration. "Oh! Mairenn, where have you been? Your mother came here looking for you, said you and Bethany were gone for days. I put out a missing person's case."

She sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose, mumbling, "That woman will be the death of me… Yes, well, I'm obviously not missing, nor is Bethany. We'd only been gone a day."

Aveline furrowed her brows in irritation. "Your mother can't be doing that, Mairenn. It wastes all the guards' time when they can be doing something more useful… Where were you anyway?" she asked again, gesturing Mairenn to walk with her.

She got close to Aveline and lowered her voice. "I was taking care of that, erm, amulet."

Aveline gave her a troubled look, exhaling roughly through her nose. "I told you I would help you with that. You shouldn't have gone by yourselves."

"I didn't want to distract you," Mairenn breathed. She was going to be lectured for a second time today.

"After what we went through to get here…" she started, looking down in sad remembrance. "I look after my friends." There was a moment of silence shared between the two of them before Aveline spoke again. "What happened?"

"I…" Mairenn's memory flashed back to being bagged and taken to the Dalish, the terrifying creature atop the mountain, the Witch… Merrill. She shook her head. "It was rough, but we got the job done."

Aveline gave her a suspicious look, knowing she wasn't telling her the whole story, but decided not to prod. She didn't need to know. Her expression softened. "I might have a job for you, Mairenn."

"Really? Oh, that would be wonderful," Mairenn exclaimed.

"Something big is coming up…" Aveline lowered her voice. "An ambush. Probably for a caravan, although I can't find any shipments that match up. Doesn't matter, though. Highwaymen waiting for someone to rob? I'm putting a stop to it, my district or not," she said in a serious tone.

Mairenn laughed softly. "Quite a change, eh? From smuggler to vigilante!"

"_Mairenn_," Aveline said her name as a warning. "Keep your voice down."

"Alright, alright, alright… I'll do it," she said, giggling. "I won't ask any questions. Seems the less I know about this, the better. Just let me know when and where it's going down, and I'll be there."

"I knew I could count on you," Aveline said, smiling brightly. "They're hidden up Sundermount. And no, you can't run off and do it without me. I trust you, but I have to be there."

Mairenn groaned. "Not like I will… Is it really Sundermount?" she asked, hoping Aveline was wrong. To her misfortune, Aveline nodded, confirming it was indeed Sundermount. "Alright," she drawled in a bit of a sing-song voice.

Aveline smirked at her reaction. "Thanks, Mairenn."


End file.
